Hand-operated windlass



Oct. 13, 1931. J. A. MELLON HAND OPERATED WI NDLAS 5 Filed Sept. 5, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l M6 i/w m- Oct. 13, 1931. A MELL 1,827,597

HAND OPERATED WINDLASS Filed Sept. 5, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 fwew- Jim 15, fiaZZan/ 5y as 5350722630 agwwn/zzf w/ Patented Oct. 13, 1931 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES AUGUSTINE MELLON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'ro AMERICAN ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA HAND-OPERATED WINDLASS Application filed September 5, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in hand-operated windlasses and like machines, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a machine of this type which shall be compact in form, efiicient in operation and relatively simple to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hand-operated machine of the stated character in which a reciprocation or oscillation of a hand lever produces a constant rotation in a single direction of the rotary drums or heads forming a part of the mechanism, and to this end, the invention contemplates the provision of a novel and desirable form of ratchet mechanism, as hereinafter set forth.

Another object of the invention is to provide means actuated through the ratchet-operating lever for disengaging the ratchets to permit overhauling of the rotary drums or heads by the load.

A still further object of the invention 1s to provide a brake also operated by the ratchetoperating lever for controlling the movement of the rotary heads after the ratchets have been disengaged.

The invention further resides in certain novel and useful structural details including an adjustable stop for maintaining the operating lever within predetermined limits corresponding with the working angle of the ratchet mechanism.

In the attached drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the machine;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the machine showing details of the brake mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a detached elevational view of one of the bevel gearing sectors forming a part of the ratchet mechanism; 7

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8- are fragmentary sectional views showing details and operation of the ratchet mechanism, and

F ig. 9 is a transversesection on the line 9-9, Fig. 2.

With reference to the drawings, the machine in a preferred. form comprises a substantially barrel-shaped housing 1 having a Serial No. 304,016.

base or pedestal portion 2 and an integral wall 3 at one end. The other end of the housing 1 is open and is adapted to be closed by an end plate or member 4, all as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

' J ournaled in the end wall 3 and in the end 11181111381 and extending through the housing 1 is a rotary shaft 5, said shaft having secured in the present instance at one end a gypsy head 6 and at the opposite end adjacent the end member 4 a wildcat 7, these two rotary elements being secured on'the ends of the shaft by means of tie plates 8 and bolts 9. At its base, the housing 1 has an integral projection 10 in the form of a ring which immediately underlies the wildcat 7 and to this part is secured the usual stripper 11 which is cooperative with the wildcat 7 in well known manner.

In the interior of the housing 1 and loosely mounted upon the shaft 5 is a pair of bevel gear sectors 12 and 13 which engage opposite sides of a bevel pinion 14: on a pin 15 projecting upwardly from a vertical boss 16 on the base 2. Keyed to the shaft 5 intermediate the bevel sectors 12 and 13, is a pair of ratchet wheels 17 and 18 which are recessed in their abutting faces for reception of a cam ring 19, this cam ring being held stationary by means of a projection 20 at the top of the pin 15 which extends into a recess in the periphery of the ring 19, see Fig. 2. The ratchet wheels 17 and 18 which in effect constitute a single wheel are engaged at opposite sides of the cam ring 19 by a pair of pawls 21 and 22 which are pivotally mounted'on pins 23 projecting from the inner faces of the sectors 12 and 13. These pawls in the present instance retain their operative engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 17-18 by gravity, and each pawl has at its outer end a transverse pro ection or pin 24, see Figs. 5 to 8, which project over and are adapted to engage the periphery of the cam 19 for a purpose hereinafter set forth. The cam 19, as shown in Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, has a recessed portion 25 which permits the pawls 21 and 22 to engage the teeth of the ratchet. Obviously, the recessed portion of the cam 19 represents the angle through which the sis bevel gear sectors 12 and 13 may be oscillated 'in efiective engagement with the ratchet wheel 1718 and determines the working angle or stroke of the machine. Operationof the ratchet mechanism constitutedby the aforedescribed interconnected elementsisaccomplished through the medi- 7 um of an operating lever 26 which is secured as illustrated-in Figs. 2 and 9 to the bevel gear sector '13 and projects upwardly through a slot 27 in the upper part of the housing 1.

The upper exposed end of this lever is provided with a socket 28 for an extension lever and also with a pivoted stop 29 which'functions as and for a purpose hereinafter set 'forth. 'By means ofthe lever 26, the bevel gear sector 18 may be oscillated, which resultsin a corresponding but opposite oscillation, through the pinion 14, ofthe sector 12. Thus-while one'of the pawls is beingretracted edon the-ratchet wheel 17 :18, the other pawl is moving forward in aworking stroke rotating the said ratchet wheel, and movement sof the-operating lever 26 in both directions "accordingly is effective to rotate the ratchet 'wheel 17.1 8 andthe shaft 5 in the same direction, -scillation of the lever 26 thereby 'results in a continuous rotation in onedirec- 'tion off the shaft 5.

-.;Referring-to-Fig. 9, it will be noted that when the stop 29 is'in the position illustrated,

it engage's in the downward'stroke of the operating leverialug orstop 30 on'the housing adjacent the lower end of the slot 27. The

stop29'-'30 is-so designed'as to prevent move- 'I-nent of the pawls 21 and 22 beyond the limits 'ofthe normal'working stroke imposedaby the length; of therecessedportion 25 of the cam =19. 'In'other words, in normal operation of the ratchet-mechanism, the movement of the bevel gearsectors and oft-he pawls thereon is limited to-an angle corresponding to but not exceedi-ng'thexangle embraced by the said cam recess 25. The relative positions of the pawls "and-camat the respective ends of the working str'oke are illustrated in Figs. 5and 6, it'being apparent that oscillation of the operating I lever within the limits imposed by the stop re theratchets from iap'oint adj acentone endof shaft'5 w'ith it in its forward movement.

- inthe slot-7:27, which as shown inFig. 7 results eam l9xiand the-consequent elevation of the L'Jpawls 1 out of contact with" the teeth of the 'ratchet wheel intothep'ositionsshown in Fig, v Itisapparent thatthepawls being disen,

in theriding'up ofthe. pawl. pins 24' on the gaged from-"theratchet 'wheel, the shaft 5 is pawls, 7

noted-that the wildcat? is provided on its free to rotate, and if a load is carried on either of the rotary heads, the load will overhaul the heads. a r V p A still further movement of the operating lever 26 in the same direction results in'the application of-a brake'by means of whichthe' movement of the heads may be controlled or checked following disengagement of the VVithreference'to Fig. 2, it will be inner sidewith a transverse fiange31," the inner surface of which functlons as a brake drum. Cooperative wlth this brake drum 1s a brake 82 of the internal expanding type, the 7 shoes of which are pivotally supported upon a pin secured'inthe end member 4 and which is actuated through the medium of a cam 84 on the end of a shaft 35.journaled in the said end member tand having at its inner.

end and inside the housing 1 an arm 36which occupies a positionin the path of a projection 37 on the bevel gear sector 18. The cam '34 as illustrated in Fig. 3 lies between the opposed ends of thebrake shoes, and when the. shaft 35 is rotated, this camspreads thebrake shoes apart and into contact with-the inner surface of the fiange3l. The projection is so arranged that it contacts with the arm 36 when the pawls "approach the position shown in Fig. 8,.so that following the elevation of the pawls from the ratchet wheel, asshown in Fig.7, and as a result of the continued movement "of the operating lever, the brake is applied. direction results in a re-engagement of the pawls with the ratchet wheel 17 -18.

The-general operation of the'machine will be apparent from the foregoing description. The operating lever 26 constitutes the one 'manual control elementv by oscillation of which the rotary drums or heads may be rota'ted continuously and in the same direction, this same operating lever-functioning to release the ratchet to'permit free rotation of the "drums and also constituting a brake lever by means OfWhiCll the rotary parts may be locked in a desired position or theirmov t controlled.

Movement of the lever in the opposite It will be apparent that the machinemay be materially changed in its detailed form withv out departure from the invention. While in the 'present instance, for.v example," I have shown themachine with a gypsy head at one end an'da wildcat at the other, it is apparent that other forms of rotary heads may replace thoseshownif desired.

I claim:' V p v '1. Inawindlass or like machine, the combinationwith a'rotary shaft, of a rotary head attached to said shaft, ratchet mechanism for Y a driving said shaft, means for disconnecting saidratchet mechanism to permit free rota- .tion of the shaft, a brake for controlling the i free movement of said shaft following release from said ratchet 'mechanlsm, anda common operating lever for the ratchet mechanism,

the disconnecting means, and the brake.

2. In a Windlass or like machine, the combination with a rotary shaft, of a rotary head attached to said shaft, a pawl and ratchet drive operatively associated with said shaft, operating means for said pawl and ratchet drive, means actuated by a predetermined overtravel of said operating means to release the pawl from the ratchet to permit free rotation of the said shaft, and a brake also operative by a predetermined overtravel of said operating means for controlling the rotation of said shaft.

8. In a Windlass or like machine, the combination with a rotary shaft, of a rotary head attached to said shaft, a gear element loosely mounted on the shaft, and means for oscillating said gear element, a second gear element also loosely mounted on the shaft, a third gear intermediate and meshing with'both of said gear elements, a ratchet wheel fixed to the shaft intermediate said gear elements, pawls carried by said gear elements and engaging said ratchet wheel, a fixed cam intermediate said gear elements and adapted to elevate the pawls from the ratchet wheel upon a predetermined overtravel of said gear elements, and a brake also operated through a predetermined overtravel of said gear elements for controlling the movement of said shaft following release of said pawls.

4. In a Windlass or like machine, the combination with a rotary shaft, of a rotary head attached to said shaft, a pawl and ratchet mechanism operatively associated with the shaft, an actuating member for said ratchet mechanism, a cam operatively associated with said ratchet mechanism and having a low portion which defines the operating limits of the ratchet mechanism and a high portion adapted to elevate the pawl from the ratchet upon a predetermined overtravel of said actuating member, and an adjustable stop operatively associated with said ratchet mechanism and adapted in adjusted position to limit the travel of said actuating member to the operating limits defined by the cam.

5. In a Windlass or like machine, the combination with a rotary shaft, of an oscillating operating member, pawl and ratchet mechanism constituting a transmission link between said member and the shaft and comprising independent pawl units operative in opposite phases under actuation of the op- 7 crating member whereby oscillation of said member may effect a continuous rotation of the shaft in one direction, and cam means adapted to elevate the pawls of both units from the ratchet upon a predetermined overtravel of the said member.

6. In a windlass or like machine, the combination with a rotary shaft, of an oscillating operating member, pawl and ratchet mechanism constituting a transmission link between said member and the shaft and comprising independent pawl units operative in opposite phases under actuation of the operating member whereby oscillation of said member may effect a continuous rotation of the shaft in one direction, cam means adapted to elevate the pawls of both units from the ratchet upon a predetermined overtravel of the said member, means for normally preventing overtravel of said member in both directions, and means for rendering one of said prevention means inoperative thereby to permit said overtravel.

7. In a Windlass or like machine, the combination with a rotary shaft, of an oscillating operating member, pawl and ratchet mechanism constituting a transmission link between said member and the shaft and comprising independent pawl units operative in opposite phases under actuation of the operating member whereby oscillation of said member may effect a continuous rotation of the shaft in one direction, cam means adapted to elevate the pawls of both units from the ratchet upon a predetermined overtravel of the said member, and a brake for said shaft operative by overtravel of said member in excess of the overtravel required for disengaging the pawls.

8. In a Windlass or like machine, the combination with a rotary shaft, of an operating member, pawl and ratchet mechanism constituting a transmission link between the shaft and the operating member, means actuated by a predetermined overtravel of said operating member, to disengage the pawl, and a brake operative by a further overtravel in the same direction of said operating mem ber for controlling the rotation of said shaft.

JAMES AUGUSTINE MELLON. 

